Political Quotes

“Madam Chair, I rise to offer my amendment that redirects $2 million to hazardous fuel reduction activities within the Bureau of Land Management to prevent catastrophic wildfires and save lives. The year I was elected, Colorado suffered the worst fire season in Colorado history, with the three largest recorded wildfires we have ever had. Hundreds of homes were destroyed and evacuated, and Coloradans endured more than 100 days of fire. The Cameron Peak fire burned more than 208,000 acres and more than 460 structures to the tune of $6 million in property losses. The East Troublesome fire on the border of my district killed two people. Coloradans also suffered severe health issues resulting from significant smoke from these fires. Wildfire smoke causes serious disorders, including eye and respiratory tract infections, reduced lung function, bronchitis, exacerbation of asthma, and even premature death. Catastrophic wildfires also cause significant damage to the environment. A few years ago, NASA concluded that one catastrophic wildfire can emit more carbon emissions in just a few days than all of the vehicle emissions in an entire State over the course of an entire year. Decades of mismanagement have left our Nation's Federal lands vulnerable to insects and disease, ripe for catastrophic wildfires.…”